Vacuum-cleaner.



l. L. SHEFFLER.

VACUUM CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED 050,4.191e.

EJ Q$TL Q77D Patented June 26,1917,

A TTOR/VE Y *a i in T an men.

EA I1. SHEFFLER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

VACUUM-CLEANER.

Application filed December 4,1916. Seria1No.134,832. g a g struction materially decrean the. relaings, which form a part of this specifica tion.

My invention relates to vacuum cleaners shown in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the 'ratus through the peculiar construction of the fan,

following specification and claims.

One of the objects of this invention Is to increase the general efficiency of the appathe casing housing the motor, brush and fan elements and by the character of the powertransmission employed between the motor, and the brush actuating mechanism.

One of the features of the invention consists in a flexible shaft connecting the motor shaft with a train of gears for actuating the brush ;-the flexible shaft being outside of the motor casing and removed from the path oflthedust drawn through the apparatus. The thrust and consequent friction common to gear or belt driven devices being overcome by the use of said shaft --thus decreasing the size and weight of the motor and diameter of the shaft.

Another object of the invention is to reduce the relative height of the apparatus as compared with other devices now in use, it being adapted to be pushed beneath relatively low mounted furniture to clean the floor covering below ;-generally inaccessible to vacuum cleaners of the ordinary e. lnother feature of the invention consists in providin a dust channel leading from the suction intake in the brush chamber to the channel entering the fan chamber between the latter and the motor chamber (which is spaced therefrom to form the passage way at this point) and exhausting at the four corners of the casing surrounding the fan: this. form of con- Specification of Letters latent.

Patented June26, 1917'.

tive height of the device.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes maybe made in the precise embodiment herein dis-'- closed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

In the drawings accompanying this specificationz- Figure l is a longitudinal verticalgsectional view through the device.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the case showing the brush, and the driving gearchambers in section. I

Fig. 3 is anelevation of the casing taken on the dividing line between the forward part of the casing and the fan chamber showing the exhaust passage at each-of the four corners of the casing inclosing the fan.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional View through the casing adjacent thesuction creating means. Referring now to the letters of reference placed upon the drawings i A, denotes a chambered casing having a compartment A, in which is housed a horizontally arranged motor B, the armature shaft C, of which extends through the front wall or casing. v

Directly below the pro]ecting end of the armature shaft, and extending laterally across the front of the casing is the brush chamber A having a suction opening A D, indicates a rotatable brush, the shaft d, of which is journaled in the end walls of the brush chamber, said shaft at one end extending into a gear case E, where it is fitted with a gear F. G, denotes a pinion in mesh with the gear F, having a stub shaft G, journaled in the wall of the gear case, the end of the shaft projecting through the wall of the case to receive the end of a flexible driving shaft H, connected directly with the forward end of the armature shaft C. I, indicates a dust channel leading from the brush chamber A to the opening J, communicating with the fan chamber K. L, denotes an exhaust fan mounted on the other end of armature shaft C. L indicates a scraper de ending from the Wa l of the casing, its lower portion be-- usual bagv N, to receive dust or other matter delivered thereto.

0, denotes an operating handle and P, an electric service cord extending through the handle and connected with the motor B. Q, designates the wheels upon which the device is mounted.

- Having indicated the several parts by reference letters the construction and operation of thedevice will be readily understood.

Electric current having been delivered to the motor from a source of supply, the rotatable brush is set in operation through the flexible transmission shaft connecting the forward end of the motor shaft with the shaft of the gear driving the brush.

The dustupon being drawn through the suction opening in the brush chamber by the action of the fan is conveyed along the dust channel 1, below the motor, entering the opening J, in front of the fan chamber (spaced from the motor to form a dust channel) passing thence through the exhaust openings at the four corners of the fan chamber into the dust receiving bag.

As previously indicated, by connecting the shaft of the motor with'the brush driving mechanism by means of a flexible shaft, and

having exhaust passages at the four corners of the fan case ;the fan being at the rear of the motor and spaced therefrom that the dust may enter in front of the fan and exhausted at the rear into the dust receiving bag,-I am enabled to provide a relatively low form of construction especially adapted to operate under furniture and in places inaccessible, The weight and size of the motor and diameter of theshaft is materially reduced by the employment of a flexible shaft between the motor shaft and brush mechanism. So also by locating the flexible shaft entirely outside of the dust channels ;the danger of derangement of the parts through the passage of dust or other matter common to other forms of power transmission is avoided, while the wear occasioned through the thrust and side the'nozzle, a motor located in the casing and having its shaft extending through the front of the casing, a gear casing located at one end of the nozzle, a gear mechanism located in the gear casing, one of the gears of which has a short stub shaft extending through the inner Wall of the gear casing above the nozzle, a flexible shaft connected at one end to the motor shaft and extending laterally over the nozzle and connected to said stub shaft of the gear mechanism, and a suction creating means located in the wheeled casing.

2. In a vacuum cleaner, a wheeled casing provided With a nozzle projecting from the front of the casing, a brush located in the nozzle, a motor located in the wheeled casing and having its shaft extending through the front of the casing above the plane of the nozzle, a gear mechanism located at one end ofthe nozzle and operatively connected to the brush, a flexible shaft connected at one end to the motor shaft and extending downwardly and at its outer end connected to said gear mechanism,'whereby said flexible shaft is supported Wholly in front of the wheeled casing over the nozzle, and. a suction creating means located in the wheeled casing.

3. In a vacuum cleaner, a Wheeled casing provided with a nozzle projecting from the front of the casing and Whose rear Wall lies substantially in alinement with the front wall of the casing, a gear casing secured directly to one end Wall of the nozzle, a gear mechanism in the gear casing, a duct leading from the nozzle through the wheeled casing, a motor located between the inner Wall of said duct and the top of said wheeled casing and having its shaft extending through the front Wall of the casing above IRA L. SHEFFLER.

Witnesses:

- S. E. THOMAS, N. HURLEY. 

